In the wake of a glimpse of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most popular gaming titles around. Pikachu is just as recognizable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The continued pandemonium surrounding trading card values ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These are titles that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, there are small features like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream focused on running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and content in general," a user wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so absurd, it was bordering on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
